Fridays are good days for happy updates.  A great start to the weekend!

Harley, our Bucket Fund Draft horse (click to read) from January is doing well!  Very well!  His eye is healing, he’s put on weight, he’s had his teeth done and his hooves are growing!

But the best news is that he has found his forever home!

Theresa from BHFER explains below.

*Also, the last paragraph speaks about Harley’s buddy who was left behind because the farmer refused to release him.

THERESA’S STORY

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Click to help baby Jewel and THE MANY - Feb Bucket Fund!

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Our Bucket Fund this month is for the 60 starved TBs who were living among carcasses and barely alive themselves.  These poor horses were rescued by Louisiana Horse Rescue Association and called, THE MANY, because they came from a town called Many.

If you missed the original story, please click here.

All of the mares aborted their foals except one.  And miracle of miracles, that mare was able to deliver an early, but stable filly yesterday!  She was immediately named, Jewel.

Yes, there are issues.  The baby is premature.  Mom had no milk the first 24 hours.  Baby has some deformities due to malnutrition.    Several vets, techs and volunteers have been running around gathering everything this baby needs and tending to her while the milk situation was assessed.  But, after a stressful first day, Jewel’s prognosis is very good.  She has a bit of a road in front of her, but she is surrounded by help and love.

What a miracle for this haggard and sorry group of horribly neglected and traumatized horses!

Let’s hear the story from Sunny, the Spokesperson and one of the ‘in the trenches’ backbones of LHRA…

Little Jewel in her borrowed dog blanket! She was born yesterday... early and only weighing 40lbs - but her prognosis is good!

SUNNY’S STORY

Here’s a little background on Baby Jewel.

The mare pasture on Charles Ford’s farm in Many was the saddest place I have ever been. There were bones scattered about – some clearly had been there a long time, others very new. There were two carcasses in the field, about twenty head of mares (two turned out to be geldings). A couple of horses laid down colicking as we were there – two were euthanized onsite. There were fresh graves in the back, and further down into the creek, where I did not go, there was reportedly a dumping ground for more. The most heartbreaking thing we saw was a newly aborted fetus. It was chestnut with three long white stockings and a fluffy white tail. The rest you could not make out – the vultures had done their job, but the tiny little legs and that stark white tail were flawless, and the thought of them brings tears to my eyes now. There was another aborted fetus -a week or two older, just a pile of bones by this time. The mares, so starved and  weak, had aborted their babies around that field. All but one mare.

It was rumored that some of the horses in the herd were jointy owned and so it was important for us to identify the mares. As we identified the vets examined each one, and palpated those they thought may be in foal. At the end of the very long weekend, only one mare was pronounced in foal. With so much uncertainty around the horse’s general health, it was decided the mares would go to a quarantine pasture in Alexandria. This mare so close to foaling though would need close supervision. She was transported to a large mare care farm in Folsom, where she could be watched night and day. She turns out to be the only mare we have not been able to identify. This mare is bay with a white sock on her right hind and white star. She does not have a lip tattoo but she’s clearly a Thoroughbred. We have no idea who the sire is.

Baby Jewel and her yet unnamed dam.

Late last night ‘Unknown Bay Mare’ delivered her foal. She did so on a gorgeous clear night, quietly observed by the staff at the farm. She was brought into a beautiful foaling stall full of clean straw, and given plenty of hay and fresh water. The foal weighed about forty pounds, less than half the size of a normal TB foal. The farm manager named her ‘Jewel’ immediately. Jewel took about three hours to stand on her own, and was ready to nurse within five hours (slow progress). Her dam, although a good mother, did not produce milk at first, depriving Jewel of vital nutrients. The farm acted quickly and Jewel was tube fed for that first night and all day Wednesday. By Wednesday afternoon the mare’s milk had begun to come in and Jewel was ready to receive it. When I visited at three o’clock today she had a bit of a tummy ache, was wearing a pink doggie blanket donated by the farm manager’s daughter, and had stolen everyone’s heart. Jewel’s prognosis is good, although she’s not completely out of the woods. She has a hind limb deformity caused by malnutrition – we saw it in some of the yearlings. The hind fetlock is enlarged and pushed forward. With proper nutrition from this point forward it could improve. She is able to walk normally and other than being tiny is absolutely gorgeous.

Baby Jewel’s medical needs, along with the three yearlings that survived (three of seven), are mounting. She may require specialized treatment to correct her hind fetlock. She will continue to be tube fed to supplement her dam’s milk until the vet says otherwise. She is going through straw, man hours, and vet care faster than a full grown horse!!

Who could resist that face?! And, what a good Mom!

JEWEL’S FIRST VIDEO!

As an aside, the man in these photos and the below video is Sunny’s hubby.  He isn’t much of a horse guy but has totally fallen in love with Jewel, as you can see… Very sweet.  Click here or on the image below to watch the very short video.

Watch baby Jewel and Sunny's Hubby loving on her...

LET’S HELP!

Out of the ashes comes this little baby who must have been very strong to live through what no other baby on that farm could.

Let’s help with this baby (supplemental formulas and milk, meds, treatment of her legs, treatment for dam) and the remaining mares and gelding who are in rehab/re-feeding via LHRA!

Hooray for Jewel and the heroes of THE MANY!  Let’s continue to help these mares, the two geldings and this baby through our Bucket Fund!

If you receives this post via email, click here to donate!

 CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE DONATION THERMOMETER RISE!

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I’m sure you’ve all heard this expression before:  “There are no atheists in foxholes.”

Basically, for me it means that when there is imminent danger, everyone circles the wagons (no matter their differences) and fights together.

Well, that old adage seems to be true for ranch animals as well – or at least the ranch animals around here.

Let me tell you what I mean…

SETTING THE STAGE

I’m sure many of you have animals other than horses.  Cats, dogs, rabbits, cows, pigs, llamas… whatever.

You probably also know who gets along with whom.  Or, more importantly, who doesn’t get along with whom.

For example, around here, everyone tolerates each other – especially when I’m watching.  However, they have all made it known that:

The dogs hate the horses and the feeling is mutual.

The cats don’t trust the dogs (for good reason).

The dogs don’t trust the cats (for good reason).

The horses don’t know what to do with the cats.

The cats don’t know what to do with the horses.

Everyone steers clear of Norma (the donkey).

Somehow all the animals tolerate each other... even if they aren't friends.

NORMA

Norma is the exception to the ‘tolerance’ rule…  She doesn’t like dogs or cats or any interloper that comes into her pasture.  She will STOMP anything foreign in her rhelm.  Unless you are an equine or a beloved human (not all humans are beloved, either…), if you are near Norma, prepare to be stomped.  This is why donkeys are such good watchdogs.

This is Norma as she is revving up to stomp the poor kitty that is offending her domain.

BUFF KITTY

There are the ranch animal categories, and then there is Buff Kitty.  He is different.  He flies under the radar.

Buff is our amazing barn cat – all sinew and muscle and the size of a VW.   Buff is the Clint Eastwood of barncats.  Understated but a force.

No one, not even Norma, messes with him.

However, Buff has one scary temptress.  The OUTSIDE.

Here is Buff, defying Norma. He sits right in her pasture and dares her.

Norma admits defeat and passes Buff without a mention...

Cool Buff grooms himself in total calm as Norma makes herself ignore his infraction.

THE OUTSIDE

Our property is totally fenced with no-climb.  Nothing bad can get in except deer and they don’t want to come in (the dogs).  So, the animals who live here are relatively safe from predators.  All they have to do is stay within our 10 acres.  That’s it.  Just stay inside.

Well, I cannot seem to convince Buff Kitty to stay inside.  He smirks when I suggest it.  You know the kind…

Buff  purrs in the face of danger.  He spends the night outside and then emerges at mealtime – from down the road or way up in the hills – yowling from so far away that he arrives hoarse.  I don’t like it.

Buff makes me nervous.  Even after 5 years, I still worry about him if he doesn’t arrive for breakfast.

THE DRAMA UNFOLDS

So, last night, probably around 3am, I heard a huge racket and some pissed-off yowling.  I bolted up out of bed like a pop-tart.  In an instant, I try to assess the situation.

Norma is bellowing at the top of her lungs:

Norma (huge bray):  Get out here, here, here, here  (big gulp) Now wow wowow wow!

OMG!  What is going on that the cat is yowling/growling and Norma is bellowing?!

Then, the dogs, totally awake and on alert, start their over-excited naildigging dance on the hardwood floors:

The Dogs:  LET US OUT – NOW!  WE NEED TO SAVE THE WORLD!

Me (falling down the stairs in a slumber haze):  Wha??  WHAT is going on?!!

The Dogs:  THE WORLD IS ENDING AND WE MUST SAVE EVERYONE FROM EVERYTHING!  IT IS DEFCON 1!!

I tried to determine if letting the dogs out will put them in danger or  if letting them out will help stop whatever carnage is going on outside.  The dog dance-n-whine was becoming unbearable as they yapped and fussed in front of the door.

The Dogs:  HERE!  OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT HERE!  OPENOPENOPENIT!  RIGHT HERE IS THE KNOB, JUST TURN IT!!  NOW!!

OUT

With time compressing, I listen outside to see if Buff Kitty is in terror or fighting or what.  Instead, I hear both of the previously wild mustangs sound off.

(As an aside, the wild mustangs have a different holler than any of my domestic horses.  It is uncanny and very motivating.  When they holler, you know something big is up.)

Mustangs (hollering very earnestly):  HUMAN.  COME NOW.  FIX IT.  THE END IS NEAR!!  EVERYONE, RUUUUUUUUN.

At this point, I figure I need to let the dogs out.  I barely have my hands on the knob as they teleport themselves from inside to outside.

I watch the direction that they run.  They rocket to the farthest fenceline in Norma’s pasture.

Something bad was happening in Norma's pasture.

THE HUBBUB

After releasing the hounds, the growling and howling ceased.  The dogs must have broken up the fight or scared off whatever was bullying Buff.  I’m not sure what happened but I hear collars jingling as they shook off their rankled hackles.  I hear Buff hiss his final statement as he turned to lick his upended fur.  He was safe.  Everyone was safe.

AND THEN I WATCHED AS...

The three dogs and Buff were all in Norma’s pasture.  This trespassing would certainly be a stompable offense.  Yet, Norma didn’t stomp.

I watched as the dogs trotted up right past the Mustangs – a total impropriety – yet the horses didn’t charge – unheard of.

Buff trotted up right through the pasture, under Norma, through the dog pack, around the feet of the Mustangs and up onto the porch.  No one touched him.

All the waters parted for everyone.  Suddenly, the rules of the game had changed…  Kinda like Sam and Ralph from the Warner Bros cartoon.  Tomorrow we’ll go back to the status quo – but for tonight, we emerge out of the foxhole as a team.

We circled the wagons and won.

Sam and Ralph. Only enemies when they were on the clock...

HORSE AND MAN is a blog in growth… if you like this, please pass it around!

Click here to read about February's Bucket Fund for THE MANY!

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A reader sent this article to me.

At first, I wasn’t sure how I felt about it.  Obviously, the horses don’t care about architecture… but after some thought, what impressed me the most was that these people have turned a run-down farm into an International Event and Meeting space – that also has horse around.

How does that help the horses?

Well, inadvertently, when any human attends this glorious venue, they will have to take note of the horses around there.  And, any human who has never had any affiliation with horses might find a new found appreciation.

Exposure to a new group of people, most likely…

It only takes one person to make a difference.  So, if any one person finds the horses to be valuable after visiting THE STORK’S NEST, well then that is a good thing.  (Here is a link to The Stork’s Nest FB page, if you’d like…).

(The venue can change from a huge exquisite equine arena to a huge exquisite business hall…)

So, without further blah blah, here is the story on THE STORK’S NEST!

THE STORK’S NEST FARM

Excerpt from :

Click to read the original story

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IN CONCLUSION…

Wouldn’t you like to have your win picture in there?!

Heck, I’d just like to ride around inside…  how cool is that place, eh?

PS:  This is what a stork’s nest looks like.  I had to go find a pic to see for myself.

 HORSE AND MAN is a blog in growth… if you like this, please pass it around!

Click to help THE MANY (60 starved TBs), Our February Bucket Fund horses.

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I know many of you were very sad to read about the horrible conditions of the 60 TBs rescued recently.  These unfortunate horses are called, “The Many” because they come from a town in Many, LA.

First off, to answer many of you readers question – the farm had huge acreage and was located way off of the main road.  No one could see from the outside…  That is why this went on for so long.

However, please take heart that many of these horses were saved on time and hopefully, in time, they will heal and have a fine quality of life moving forward.

ON THAT NOTE…

I wanted to share with you photos from one of the adoptive homes who stepped up and took three of the wasted mares to rehab and love them.

The do-gooder is Jenna Kay.  I found her because of a photo she posted on the main Rescue FB page of LHRA.

Anyway, I wrote to her to ask about these mares and she was very agreeable to tell me all about them, what they are like and how she arrived at the choice of these particular three.

I nod my head to this woman for taking one horse, let alone three!

Three of "The Many" mares in their new home. 'THE 60 MANY' horses are our February Bucket Fund.

THESE MARES

The three mares are Tactical Vixen (9 yrs) , Sheikra (7 yrs), and Sattidy’s Girl (12).

Here is Jenna’s email to me:

I have history with Tactical Vixen. We were supposed to have bought her several years ago, but a horse fell ill a few days before we were supposed to go & pick her up. Unfortunately the vet bills consumed what we had to spend on buying Vixen. When I saw her name on the list of horses at this farm my heart sank, then I saw her on the survivors list & that’s when I knew I had to get her for sure this time. As for the other 2 Sheikra’s breeding is outstanding (she sold for $75,000 as a yearling) & then Sattidy’s Girl was a last min decision, she was still not placed & she is so stunning looking even though she is in horrible condition, I just couldn’t pass her up.  (My note here:  Jenna is NOT planning on breeding these mares, she was just commenting on Sheikra being well-bred.)

This is Tactical Vixen. She will never look this bad again...

After that email, I was curious to know if their personalities were erupting yet – or if it was just too soon.  Jenna responded:

They are very sweet loving mares. Vixen is the alpha of the 3 & Sheikra is the low man on the totem pole. They are still in survival mode when it comes to eating, they don’t come up for air. Vixen likes to play in the water trough, Sattidy well she is spunky for her age, Sheikra I don’t think was handled too much because she doesn’t like to be caught, but she’s getting better.

TV receives a lovely wash.

Sattidy's Girl will never look this bad again...

FOLLOW THEIR PROGRESS!

If you’d like to follow the progress of these mares, Jenna said that she will be posting photos every week to show their progress.  Here is her FB link to the photo page.  You don’t have to friend her to see them.

Sattidy's Girl enjoying her rubdown!

HORSE AND MAN is a blog in growth… if you like this, please pass it around!

To learn more about The Many, click here. THE BUCKET FUND.

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